


How Soon Is Now?

by applejwoos (kenmarcadeblues)



Series: Fears of World; Hopes of World; Tears of World [4]
Category: K-pop, NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Gen, Minor Violence, The Arena, The Capitol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 13:49:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15341190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenmarcadeblues/pseuds/applejwoos
Summary: From here on out, Yukhei will be living under the "roof" of the Gamemakers. He wants to skip to the part where he and his mother are moving into a new house in the Victor's Village, but time is a funny little thing.





	How Soon Is Now?

_How did it come to this?_

Ceasing to train at age twelve only to take it up again in an accelerated, painstaking fashion seven years later; hours upon hours of ranting to Jungwoo about the system they live in only to become a pawn in the pinnacle of it; cursing his father for waltzing into the Capitol and never returning - yet here Yukhei is, strapped into an aircraft among 23 others and heading towards a direly uncertain fate. His mother might lose him, too. He remembers an old adage that now carries some twisted truth for him: the apple does not fall far from the tree.

  
There won't be trees - at least, not at first. District 2's escort, a doll-like woman by the mononym BoA, returned to the penthouse suite one evening with a huge grin and updates on the arena: the layout is a labyrinth with an area in the middle holding a cornucopia; the Tributes will be released in that middle area; the only known natural element is a freshwater spring; whether marine animals will be present in the spring is unknown.

  
Both of her assigned Tributes had been visibly taken aback by the word 'unknown.' "So it's possible that we'll be dependent on the cornucopia and little parachutes for nutrition?" questioned Hwasa.

  
"Or..." Yukhei's throat suddenly felt drier. "Or cannibalism?" BoA gasped because that never occurred to her as an option.

But Yixing just shook his head. It wasn't their fault if they were still a bit naïve. Anticipating and understanding many of the details concerning the Hunger Games is no easy task, and for this reason, the only demographics that usually can are hardcore Capitol fans, who dedicate their lives to it, and victors, who owe their new lives to it.

  
Forcing all the Tributes to spend sponsor gifts on basic nourishment, like a few of the earliest Games, would not be a smart move. Ratings could suffer. Food sources will show at some time; they have to. And regardless of that, big things are in store. It's a given that a skilled Head Gamemaker takes pride in keeping the best details a surprise.

  
"Nobody had guessed about the flood, you know? I just happened to be in the right place, and the timing worked out." Yixing was almost chuckling when he'd said that but his eyes were floating somewhere far away on waves of space-time, and Yukhei had to wonder, right then, how long four years actually was.

_Water rushed furiously into the arena, drowning a boy who'd been slow to react. Two other Tributes ran for their lives up the tall, steep-sided hill._

_They clashed and drew swords on a precarious cliff. The ground grew slick with blood as flesh was sliced again and again, but neither were relenting. Then the male Tribute slipped. As soon as he hit the rock, the female Tribute's blade came slashing down his back and then through his stomach as she turned him over and pinned him down. She gave a triumphant yell when pushing him over the edge._

  
_A cannon was shot. The girl cheered and sank to her knees wearily._

  
_The mutt that had been released into the sparse environment heard noise and started towards it, abandoning its investigation of an enclave in the rocky hillside._

  
_Its teeth cracked the girl's calf bone like a toothpick. Seconds later, the cliff crumbled away and she, along with the mutt, fell into the water with a fountainous splash._

  
_Another cannon was shot._

  
_An aircraft appeared in the artificial sky and unloaded Peacekeepers onto the hill. They went inside of that enclave and pulled out a hollow-cheeked Zhang Yixing, shivering as a leaf does when caught in a gale._

A fat needle pokes into Yukhei's skin to inject his forearm with a tracker. It doesn't hurt but he can feel the foreign object burrow inside him for a split second, and that's enough to elicit a shiver.

  
And not for the first time, he's wondering how long four years actually is. Is it only long enough to forget the little things? Or could he make peace with everything he's about to see, experience, and do? Could he manage playing mentor to another of his District's young people who's been sent to this bloodbath?

  
He wonders how long this ride actually was. The aircraft touches down and the straps holding Yukhei shrink away. Buzzing metal gives way to smooth flooring as the Tributes are herded into a hallway.

  
_It feels as if no time has passed at all._

 

  
"Mr. Lucas!" Johnny crows when Yukhei enters the starkest dressing room he's been in by far - _no, not a dressing room,_ BoA's high pitched voice corrects gently from his mind, _it is called the Launch Room._

  
Whatever it is, there's not much to it: one clothing rack, one hanger. One stylist. Yukhei's lips quirk up slightly and he walks into the man's open arms.

Johnny dresses more plainly than most citizens in the Capitol because he thinks it's fashion-forward and, what's more: "People tend to regard me in confusion, which is an underappreciated yet beautiful emotion in my opinion." Now, this doesn't sound like someone Yukhei would give a fuck about - but during what has been the most hectic week of his life to date, he's become, for better or worse, the tiniest smidge attached to Johnny and his surprisingly tolerable personality.

  
Johnny pats Yukhei's back. "How are we feeling today?"

  
_Thirty seconds,_ calls an automated voice.

  
Yukhei takes a deep breath. "Eh, could be better." Another pat, gentler this time.

  
Johnny pulls away and steps back to give his Tribute a quick once-over. The nineteen year old dressed himself in a sleeveless shirt made of smooth, durable fabric, slim-fit pants rolled at the ankles, and boots. And the sole accessory? The necklace with the garnet pendant, of course; that which is irrevocably central to his image. Sponsors supporting _Lucas of District 2_ have taken to wearing garnet, either crushed or sliced, on their lips, and chokers in multiples of two, inlaid with the same stone as well as any other precious red substance known to man.

  
_Twenty seconds._

  
The stylist hums. "Not bad. Shoes look a bit heavy, but you'll deal. Tread carefully." He takes the gray jacket off the hanger and has Yukhei shrug it on. "Good. Even if it gets warm, try not to lose this. Alright?"

  
"Alright."

  
_Ten seconds._

"Keep your head up and show us how Lucas' Games is played." Accompanied by these words and a goofy-looking smile, Yukhei is shut inside the Tribute Tube and ascends into the light.

 

  
Two blinks later and Yukhei wishes his eyes had taken longer to adjust. He doesn't want to see any of this. Not now, and frankly, not ever.

  
24 pedestals are filled and every last one of their inhabitants is glancing around at each other and digesting their new surroundings. The first cornucopia is well-stocked this year. It's a healthy smattering of bags and weapons in front of the infamous hollow, black structure which stores the most desirable items. Next to it, a timer counts down in neon green numbers.

_48_

  
Yukhei solidifies his features into a cold nonchalance and squares his shoulders.

  
_45_

  
The ground and walls of the labyrinth are pure stone. It wouldn't be hard to crack things against it. Bones. Heads, too.

  
_38_

  
Ong Seongwoo is smiling at someone.

  
_35_

  
Kang Daniel is smiling back.

  
_32_

  
Yukhei has to avoid them at all costs.

  
_29_

  
District 5's male has eyes capable of calculating the secrets of the universe.

  
_27_

  
So does his female counterpart.

  
_26_

  
District 3's pair are both done up a bit. Rumors about them having dedicated fanbases on social platforms prior to being Reaped turned out to be true, so one can only guess how deep their pool of sponsors is. The technology sector cannot be underestimated.

  
_19_

  
So maybe the benefits of taking Park Jihoon as an ally will end up outweighing the risks.

 

_17_

  
Hyelin's head is swiveling more than the others. She glances behind her pedestal. She's probably planning to escape into the safety of the maze.

  
_13_

  
Yukhei will do whatever he has to. He will survive somehow.

  
_11_

  
Stay alive, stay alive, stay alive.

  
_9_

  
He hates this.

  
_8_

  
He genuinely hates this.

  
_7_

  
His skin is crawling.

  
_6_

  
He kisses his sole accessory and holds it up until the gold chain is taut around his neck.

 

_3_

 

Until the gem shines fully under fake sunlight.

  
_2_

 

It shines almost like Jungwoo can when he smiles like he means it.

 

_1_

 

  
_It feels like no time has passed at all._

Lucas has Hyelin up against a wall.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I tried so many times to write something about jungwoo but it wasn't working :/ 
> 
> In the future I want to make it work though! I thought about this au so much and have all these Things that I want to tell y'all but don't know how yet...
> 
> And also if you couldn't tell, I really want to do some wanna one storylines so anticipate that, too, maybe :^)


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